The big reveal came after a two-night live finale that began Monday when country singer Jana Kramer was eliminated with her partner Gleb Savchenko, who was battling the flu, leading up to the finals. Monday night’s episode saw a ratings increase, bringing in 11.98 million viewers for part one of the always-anticipated finale.

Throughout the season, Hernandez was the front-runner. The pint-sized 16-year-old Olympic gymnast came in with obvious advantages on the dance floor, and worked hard to repeatedly wow the judges with her various dance styles. NFL superstar Johnson and IndyCar driver Hinchcliffe were both considered underdogs, but they impressed with both their improving skills and personalities in the ballroom.